Electric toothbrushes are known that utilize a replaceable or interchangeable brush head which is releasably engageable with a handle or body portion. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,404,608 to Hommann discloses an electric toothbrush having a handle with a push-on brush component. U.S. Pat. No. 4,880,382 to Moret et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 5,435,034 to Bigler et al. disclose electric toothbrushes having brush heads that are replaceable and removable from a handle or body portion of the brush. Both the '382 patent and the '034 patent utilize a slotted engagement mechanism between the brush head and the handle portion of the brush. U.S. Pat. No. 5,465,444 to Bigler et al. describes an electric toothbrush having a brush head that is said to “slip-on” a handle portion.
However, a need exists for an electric toothbrush having a removable brush head with an electrically powered element. Specifically, a need exists for a removable brush head which may be securely and easily engaged or disengaged with a handle or body portion of the toothbrush, in conjunction with a selectively engageable electrical connection between the head and the handle.